Originally Posted by KenV
May I respectfully point out that the AIM-120 from day one way back in the '80s had a datalink that enabled the launch aircraft to guide the missile's flight and tell it when to turn on its internal sensor for terminal homing? In other words, if there was uncertainly about where the missile had gone and what it was going to see when it got there, the missile's internal sensor would simply not get turned on. The missile has improved mightily since.
Absolutely correct about command guidance for AMRAAM, Ken, but I was talking about IR mx and I did also say that you COULD use command datalink, but then the mx needs to be supported in flight until it goes active and acquires - hence my reference to the uncertainty box.
AIM120 is a command link medium range mx with an active RADAR seeker. It does not have a thermal seeker and there is no feedback to indicate whether it can see its target (until AIM-120D P3I Phase 4 with bi-directional DL). That is why it has an uncertainty box. There is always uncertainty about the mx and the intended target.
There is a world of difference between supporting a medium or long range mx to a target at long-range and supporting a short range mx against a close target with a high sightline rate and manoeuvre- especially if your sensor was the MkII eyeball which doesn't feed range information to the datalink.
In case I wasn't clear at post #6784 I was talking specifically about a generic, advanced IR mx launched from the internal weapons bay of a stealth bomber of a similar design to F-35. I seem to have confused people by not making that clear. Sorry.
